Why let facts get in the way?

Why let facts get in the way?

When it comes to debunking the claims of Christianity and the Catholic Church, it looks like the motto of some journalists is to never let logic and facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory. For instance, The Guardian newspaper in London has a speculative article on a fad of the 14th and 15th centuries of painting pregnant Madonnas and makes a connection based on a gossamer thin speculation that it was a secret message regarding the suppression of the Knights Templar and baloney in the DaVinci Code.

It starts with a theory by a Florentine architect:

“Florence was a major Templar centre and these Madonnas start to appear soon after the suppression of the knights in 1312,” he told the Guardian this week. The first by a celebrated artist is attributed to Taddeo Gaddi and dated to between 1334 and 1338.

“In virgin and child paintings, the child symbolises wisdom, knowledge, truth. So what the pregnant Madonnas represent is a temporarily hidden truth,” Mr Manetti said.

Right. That these paintings started appearing nearly two decades after the suppression doesn’t appear to bother them. You might as well claim that the spate of superhero movies coming out in recent decades is a response to the assassination of JFK. Sure, someone might believe you, but there’s the tricky question of cause and effect and evidence.

Of course, the guy who proposes the theory that the pregnant Madonna represents dissatisfaction with the suppression of the Templars doesn’t go as far as the reporter does. The reporter claims that the pregnant Madonna raises the question of whether it is a depiction of the Blessed Mother or of a pregnant Mary Magdalene carrying Christ’s child. Never mind that he has no basis for this conjecture other than Dan Brown’s own flawed sources and fevered imaginings. As I said, even the guy who proposes the original theory rejects the reporter’s extension of it.

Apparently, the reporter thinks that the Church’s active rejection of these claims is evidence that there is a cover up. Another logical fallacy, but what’s one more when you’ve stacked up so many already?

In the end, all the reporter’s theories and speculations add up to ... big fat nothing.

I am so looking forward to the DaVinci Code movie coming out next year. Sheesh. At least there will be plenty more baloney like this to blog about.

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